“The way of peace is the way of love. Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things.”–Peace Pilgrim.

The Secret Shore is a well-researched World War II tale of intrigue and espionage, which, grounded in fact, with several real-life characters, is, at its core, a beautifully written love story. A sweeping tale of heartbreak and loss, courage and fear, and ultimately, the power of love.

Set against the backdrop of London and the coast of Cornwall, this is the story of Professor Meredith (Merry) Tremayne. Merry, who was born and raised in Cornwall, is a cartographer with a PhD from Oxford, where she lectured before being seconded to work for Ian Fleming and the secret service in London. Merry’s remarkable mapping skills are not lost on Fleming who sends her to work with a team of men transporting goods and people to and from Brittany and Cornwall, which is when she discovers her French mother is missing. It is also where she meets the enigmatic and handsome American Lieutenant, Jake Russell.

The Secret Shore, with its strong female protagonist, is an evocative, evenly paced historical drama highlighting the very real but often understated role of women during the war. The author’s broad knowledge of the Cornish coast is obvious and really brings the landscape to life. Reading it, at times, with its larger-than-life characters who, despite the uncertainties that lay ahead, insisted on dressing for dinner and drinking pre-dinner pink gins, reminded me of an old Hollywood movie. However, the fragility and loss of life at this time, despite the stoic, stiff upper lip attitude of those left behind, was never lost. A Beautifully crafted wartime romance that, although educates as much as it entertains, also, as all good romances should, tugs at the heartstrings.